Storytime
by And The Adversary Succeeds
Summary: Ruby Rose always contended she was a normal girl. Even after being shuffled two years ahead of her peers, she refused to entertain the notion that she was special. To her, 'special' meant having a gorgeous singing voice like her roommate, or her sister's boundless charisma. It was certainly not a word that came to mind the day her life took a decidedly unwelcome turn. -AU-


1 – Once Upon a Time...

 _Stories are of ineffable importance._

 _In fact, there are many stories – so many that, surely, countless tales, legends, myths, and proverbs have been lost_ _down_ _time's gullet;_ _to_ _its implacable appetite._ _Yes, indeed. While any number of those which remain are fascinating, there is one story in particular that continues to grip the imagination._ _A veritable monomyth, whose structure and facets are mirrored in a myriad of tales._ _It is one of the oldest legends yet remembered, and perhaps its intransigen_ _t_ _means of captivating the mind are testament to precisely how it has survived for so long in a sea as tumultuous as evolving cultures. There are even those who suggest its subject matter is the crux of this esoteric allure, that being: Stories themselves._

 _It begins with the Storytellers. Brothers who dwelt in_ _the_ _ancient darkness that subsumed the universe. Seeking to dispel the gloaming, they_ _lit_ _a fire, and the light became a beacon._ _O_ _ther beings- small, and vacant- were drawn to the fire and the warmth it offered. They knew only of darkness, and were confused, even frightened by this new phenomenon. The Brothers, seeking to ease their worries, sat down with them at the fire; then, they began to speak. From their lips came the first stories; tales woven entirely from their imaginations._ _Born from nothingness, and granted shape by virtue of will alone._ _Their guests, these hollow shapes, were filled with wonder. The light, which had been so alien and strange, gradually became a comfort. To them, it was the embodiment of that which the Brothers offered; a chance to fill the void. Life where none had been before._

 _However, the light proved more entrancing than they first believed, nor were the alone in the vast expanse of darkness. Other shapes began to approach, but these were not the same as the little shapes first alerted to the fire. These were large, and where the smaller listeners had been open, though wary, to this new phenomenon, the greater forms were cautious and incensed. They saw a thing to be snuffed out, and closed in to do just that. The Brothers, sensing the new source of unease in their audience, rose up and went out to ward off the slavering shadows._

 _Alone but for each other, the tiny shapes remained at the fire. They took it upon themselves to tell stories of their own, drawing inspiration from the Storytellers. Again it helped the fear to abate, but now it was fear of the things that lingered just at the edge of the light's touch. The things kept at bay only by the Brothers' strength. They continued to tell stories, if only to imagine better things; to remain willfully ignorant of the danger so near._

 _Fascinating, isn't it..._

[-]

"...Miss Rose?"

"Mhmg-wha…?" Ruby jerked upright with all the grace of a cheap animatronic coming to life. The sheet of paper that had been plastered to her forehead slowly and unceremoniously, with gravity's aid, peeled itself from her face and drifted aimlessly back down to her desk. She blinked groggily, her thoughts feeling like a thick soup that had been left to boil overlong, fragments of her dreams assuming the role of scorched bits floating to the surface as the mixture was stirred.

Prof- _Doctor_ Oobleck nudged his glasses into place, standing stiff as a board and observing her with nary a trace of emotion betrayed. "I asked, _dear_ miss Rose," it was difficult to tell if that was a note of condescension or not, "About your thoughts on the topic I just finished discussing." He tipped his head forward, scrutinizing her from behind his spectacles.

Ruby blinked. Silver eyes darted left, then right, then to the ceiling, her mouth turning dry as a desert. _Oh, sugar-honey-iced-…_ Clearing her throat, the girl put on her most 'confident' exterior. "Pff, of course!" She insisted with a snort, chuckling for good measure. It didn't come out as self-assured as she had intended. "Ha.. haha.. heh..."

Oobleck said nothing. The placid, opaque pools that were his glasses stared back at her without remorse. She could see herself in them, reflecting her embarrassment right back at her. How sinister. How indescribably devious. Ruby was unaccustomed to dealing with such a cunning adversary; employing psychological warfare _this_ brutal. Maybe she should just cow down, admit defeat and ask for forgiveness? After all, that would save her from digging her grave even deeper than it already wa-

Ruby promptly knocked that traitorous voice out before it could finish its slanderous suggestion.

She was no coward, and would fight this battle until the bloody, bitter end! Even if it left her physically and emotionally scarred. Crippled from the severity of the combat that was sure to ensue. No matter the horrors, no matter the devastation wreaked upon her, she vowed then and there to persevere-

"Anytime you're ready, miss Rose," Oobleck derailed her train of thought insistently, taking a sip from.. whatever was in that mug. Probably coffee. Maybe laced with something else, but it sure smelled like- _No, no! Bad Ruby!_ She scolded herself. Rather than stall any longer, the girl took a preparatory breath to steel her nerves. This was it, for victory or death! Or, realistically, probably just detention if it all went pear shaped. That didn't sound nearly as exciting as far as stakes went.

"Well, uhm..." Ruby held a finger aloft, striking her most convincing 'thoughtful' pose. "It was.. certainly interesting! And uh, definitely _very_ professionally explained. I don't think any one of us in here," she swept her arms out to indicate the classroom, "Would deny how expertly the.. the _topic_ was delivered."

 _Heh, that's it, Rose. Play to his ego. There's no way he can resist such a suave, calculated-_

Oobleck sipped from his coffee, "If you would get to the point. Please." He hurried her along in his usual stilted speech, cleaving straight through her maneuver.

 _-darn it, Oobleck, you dastardly mastermind!_ Outwardly, her brow twitched in anxious vexation.

Smoothing her ruffled feathers, Ruby tread bravely onward. "R-Right. Uhm, so, I think it was.. _really_ important? World shaping stuff, totally."

Oobleck sighed, giving a short shake of his head. "Yes, quite. If only you had paid attention, rather than deciding to nap during my lecture, you might be able to grasp precisely _how_ it has shaped our world, miss Rose. Please remain after class, and do try not to fall asleep in the meantime," he pointedly tagged on.

Ruby deflated like a balloon, sinking, almost boneless, into her seat as a long breath escaped her lungs. Pent up tension melted from her muscles, but it left her feeling somewhat drained. She could hear the other students snickering at her, having been made quite the example of by her professor. Insult to injury, and all that. Belatedly, she attempted to tune herself in to what Oobleck was saying, but found her mind resistant to actually absorbing any of it. She was much too preoccupied with her disgrace, at first anyway. That quickly melted away, like a layer of ice on a frozen pond, unveiling other concerns that had been temporarily sealed underneath.

Namely another source of ice, one sat just beside her and whose withering stare had Ruby wishing she could slip beneath the desk and disappear. Sadly that was not a viable exit strategy, if for no other reason than it put her in prime kicking distance for the white-haired girl and Ruby could _swear_ that she heard Weiss' teeth grinding. Really, that was simply awful for one's dental integrity, surely something the heiress should be familiar with. Or perhaps it was but one more lesson Ruby ought to teach her at some point.

Along with smiling, but, well, baby steps.

Speaking of, she offered the most apologetic smile she could muster, earning her a scoff accompanied by a Weiss-patented ponytail flick. As if her off-center locks would just do away with her like so much dust scattered beneath a feather duster – an implement Weiss' maids likely employed quite fastidiously, if Ruby's imagination were to be believed. At least the bomb had been disarmed for the time being, permitting her to relax as she slumped back into her chair.

Another distraction gone.

 _Yay_.

Really, _now_ what was she supposed to do for the rest of the period? She couldn't go back to sleep, not with the eagle-eyed caffeine addict surely checking in on her status from time to time. Furthermore, she suspected that Weiss might take matters into her own hands if she caught Ruby dozing off again. That.. that would be painful. Also grating, for no other was as proficient in the art of ear-chewing as her. Belated and defeated, Ruby proceeded to sulk until the bell rang. Though it did not free her from the fate to come, it did mean she was one step closer to escaping the classroom's stuffy confines.

Ruby remained in her seat as the rest of the students packed up and filed out. Weiss waited just long enough to level one last freezing glare Ruby's was before imperiously marching off with her usual grace. Ruby sighed, she was definitely in store for a lecture later.

Proceeding the one directly in front of her, that is, as she was promptly reminded by the good Doctor _zipping_ directly into her line of sight. She bolted upright in shock, unable to mask the unbecoming squeak of surprise that leapt from her before she could prepare herself.

"Now then, Miss Rose," he _launched_ into the point like a race horse bolting from the starting gate, "I shouldn't have to explain what I've taken issue with here – then again, under more agreeable circumstances, this entire conversation would be rendered unnecessary. But, as it stands, such an unfortunate measure is required. Your conduct in this class could be called lackluster at best, and I think you know precisely _why that is_."

"Uh..." Ruby was left staring blankly at him for a moment, or until her brain processed the raw aural information into something she could actually digest. She snapped her jaw shut and shook her head, dispelling the gormless mask that had taken residence of her face. "Because I.. am not great with history?" She attempted, arching a brow inquisitively. In retrospect even she thought that sounded half-assed. It wasn't necessarily untrue however, she was _not_ the most retentive when it came to names, dates, and events. She had a basic grasp of the common knowledge bits, and that was really it.

Her instructor sighed, a tired and heavy sound laden with something even worse than anger: Disappointment. The unspoken, but certainly not hidden, notion that she had failed in some regard. It was almost enough to make her frown- and she silently damned herself for caring so much about what others thought of her- but she schooled her expression before giving anything away. Especially if it had the chance of just digging her deeper into the grave she'd woken in.

"Miss Rose, there is a marked distance separating aptitude from willingness," Oobleck informed, looking down at her pointedly. "One lacking in a particular talent may yet achieve great strides, if only they possess the drive to apply themselves. Perhaps I would be willing to accept that you needed only work on your sleeping habits, were it not for the fact I have been informed you do not spend your time napping in _most_ of your other classes."

 _Ouch_ , Ruby winced, unable to mask the reaction this time. Teachers were the enemy, and it appeared Oobleck had done some intel gathering.

"My personal bias aside," he adjusted his spectacles, exploiting the moment to take a long sip from his mug, "I can understand that not every subject will be of interest to every student, preference being the fickle mistress it is. Yet that does not excuse you from making an effort, Miss Rose. Your grade in this course is suffering, far more than even the slightest dip in your other classes. This is not even a matter I could prescribe tutoring to aid you, daunting as it may be to have been moved ahead two years. Your problem is, quite obviously, that you don't care enough to take this subject seriously."

Ruby almost opened her mouth to protest, but the response died before it even reached her lips. She hung her head, short locks wreathing her face like a dreary red-tipped curtain. She wanted to say that wasn't true, if only to massage her injured pride, but that would have been a blatant lie. To both her teacher _and_ herself. She really didn't care, not so long as she wasn't outright failing – which she wasn't, but she certainly wasn't performing at her utmost in history either. At some point she had decided, not consciously mind you, that there was no reason to make a significant effort.

Doctor Oobleck was silent for a moment, before continuing in a surprisingly slower gait. "Miss Rose, I do not mean to badger you for the sake of being cruel. The truth might be ugly, but it often is, and you would do well to accept that. My intent is to hopefully motivate you. By all accounts you are a bright young lady, and you do yourself a disservice by not attempting to be all that you can. You needn't scale the highest peaks to be proud of your accomplishments, but you shouldn't be willing to wallow below the summit of your potential in kind."

 _Great_ , she bemoaned with a gentle sigh, _He actually sounds like he cares. Way to drive that guilt home, Doc._

"Please, consider what I've said," Oobleck gently urged. "You're free to go now. Enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Rose."

It was a disheartened Ruby Rose, with shoulders hunched and silver eyes downcast, who trudged into the hallway, only to be met by the icy stare of a certain white-haired girl. She shrunk even further into herself under those piercing blue spheres, looking smaller by the second. It made her wish she had her hoodie, then she could flip up the hood and reduce the world to a comfortable tunnel. Even if that _was_ only a lame avoidance maneuver. Maybe she deserved it, but that didn't mean Ruby had to enjoy being beleaguered with condescension. Fortunately for her, the biting chill in Weiss' gaze began to thaw.

"Let's go," she sighed, rolling her eyes. With almost military precision, Weiss spun about and wove into the throng of bodies milling through the hall. Ruby, stumbling to a start, tagged along and kept close to the girl she considered her only real friend at Beacon.. even if 'friend' was a bit of a stretch sometimes. "He wasn't too hard on you, was he?" She inquired, keeping her attention focused straight ahead. Ruby liked to imagine there was more than the mere hint of concern she could detect beneath the query, buried as it might have been beneath a glacier several miles thick.

"No," Ruby mumbled. "He really likes to ride that guilt train though." She put on a smarmy tone, mimicking not the Doctor specifically, but rather any stereotypical authority figure. "You could do so much better. You're only letting yourself down. Blah blah blah." She snorted indignantly. "I get enough of that outside class, thank you very much."

"He's not wrong," Weiss, a repeat offender when it came to wielding mind games, pointedly informed. Probably looking to reassert the merits of methods near and dear to her own frigid heart. Or whatever it was she had in place of a normal human's- okay, enough of _that_ tripe. She was running away again.

"You don't know that," Ruby rolled her eyes, feeling a bit tired of people telling her what she should expect of herself. Whatever standards she felt inclined to meet were the ones set by her alone. If those happened to coincide with the opinions of a few others, then that was another matter.

Weiss made a dismissive sound – no condescending snort, or anything so improper – one akin to finding her meal poorly seasoned. "Ruby, you might fall short in terms of _wisdom_ , but you are by no means an idiot."

Ruby blinked, suddenly at a loss. "Wow, uhm.. y-you really think s-"

The heiress began counting out on her fingers, "Reckless, inattentive, procrastinatory, and uncoordinated, but _not_ a simpleton."

Ruby stared blankly ahead, silvery eyes reflecting nothing but the looming void that opened within her spirit. "Oh.. wow. Thanks, Weiss," she intoned, unable to summon even the energy required to sound sarcastic.

"We should double up on your study sessions," Weiss concluded, a resolute nod sealing the deal. "There's no need for you to be lagging behind so egregiously."

"I really don't think _more_ studying is gonna help," Ruby whined. "Seriously, if I don't get a little time to unwind then I'll just break down."

"Oh yes, how could I forget," the heiress began, her voice drenched in sarcasm so sharp it could have drawn blood. "I'm speaking to the girl who cares more about being up to date on the latest edition of her favorite comics than getting a good grade on upcoming exams." She fired a stern glare over her shoulder. "To such an extent that she hides them behind textbooks while pretending to study."

"I only did that a couple of times," Ruby shrugged.

Weiss arched a lone elegant brow.

"Ugh, fine," she groaned, slumping forward. "Maybe more than just a couple," she admitted under her breath.

Weiss not only heard her, but felt the need to address the matter further. "I caught you stashing them in your books _beforehand_ ," she reminded, holding a finger aloft. Not like Ruby had forgotten, especially since Weiss had taken it upon herself to shake out each of Ruby's books prior to study sessions. That bit of subterfuge had swiftly been abandoned.

Ruby had thought it so clever too, she privately sulked. Comics had been her second option, truth be told, the first was video games. She hadn't needed to get caught to realize it would be far more telling to be fiddling with controls. Turning pages was considerably less conspicuous. The comics falling out of her books.. well, wasn't. Still a good plan while it lasted. If only the ploy had not caved in so soon.

"Ruby, as your friend-"

The younger girl clapped her hands together. "Oh, you used the F-word! I'm _so_ proud of you, Weiss!" To passerby it might have been difficult to discern whether she was sincere or not.

Weiss glowered at her for her efforts. "As your _elder_ ," she corrected.

"Just had to go and ruin it, huh?" Ruby grumbled, kicking at the floor.

"I see it as my responsibility to ensure you don't fall prey to your less than fortunate tendencies," the heiress went on.

Ruby tipped her head to one side. "Like hiding my cookies?" She accused with an undertone of venom.

"Precisely," Weiss nodded, a proud smirk curling her lips. "To further that mission, we are going to devote more free time to bringing you up to speed on the current modules you appear to be struggling with."

Ruby snorted. "Struggling implies trying, Weiss," she snickered.

"Dolt." Weiss fired back. "Are you _trying_ , perhaps, to make the matter worse than it already is?" She shot a piercing glance toward the younger girl. "I'm almost tempted to see this as a subconscious cry for help, you know."

Ruby let out a quick 'eep' before dashing in front of the heiress, backpedaling down the hallway in order to maintain eye contact with the decidedly unimpressed girl – seriously though, Weiss had _nailed_ the whole 'your very presence pisses me off' stare. She didn't even look angry doing it, just disgusted with the sheer existence of her target. It was impressive. Degrading and soul-crushing, but impressive.

"N-Now, now, let's be reasonable here!" She held her hands out as if to calm Weiss down. "We, ah.. we're all reasonable people. We're reasonable, right?" A nervous chuckle slipped between her lips, growing ever shakier as the heiress cocked a brow.

"What are you doing?" Weiss dryly asked.

"N-Nothing!" Ruby frantically waved her hands side-to-side. "Just, uhm.. just saying that there's no need to go _that_ far. I mean, come on. Pfft. Like.. like there's any reason to go overboard."

"Ruby-"

She was having none of it, to give ground now would be to surrender advantage to the encroaching enemy forces! She refused to allow Fort Rose to be razed so ruthlessly! It was a prosperous and lively kingdom! Weiss would only turn the blue skies to frigid grey, smother the flowers in ice! She would not allow such a travesty to befall her very soul!

" _Weiss_ ," she added emphasis, cutting off her friend, "I'm telling you right now, and _please_ heed my warning: This isn't going to work. You're walking a dark path, and it will only lead to misery!" Her voice went up an octave at the end, hammering home her dramatic declaration.

"A 'dark path'?" Weiss flatly inquired.

"Yes. Yes!" Ruby had to hope her reiteration didn't come across as too desperate.. or reveal how she was really making this up as she went. "It's not healthy, and the less time we spend enjoying life the more we'll forget how to actually _live_!"

Weiss groaned. "That's ridiculous."

Ruby threw her arms out. "I know!" She cried.

And promptly smacked into something.

Out of nowhere she was struck by a white hot sensation, like she had gone and jammed a fork into an electrical outlet. It ignited in her right arm, then raced inward to her torso. From there it spread out to every corner of her body. Her vision went dark as the searing heat reached the base of her skull and enveloped her head. All other sensory input was abruptly snuffed out, leaving her in an absolute void. No sight, no sound, no tactile input of any kind. She was swaddled in an impenetrable blanket of _nothing_. And it was horrifying. She might have lost external feeling, but fear certainly didn't seem at all fazed by the blackout. Ruby was beginning to panic, muddled thoughts crashing into each other as she tried to discern just _what_ _in_ _the_ _flying_ _hell was happening_?!

The universe dared to tease an answer, as a mote of something sparked in the deepest reaches of the all consuming black. A white speck, distant yet brilliant nonetheless. It.. it made her feel.. _something_. It wasn't a physical sensation, rooting itself much closer to the realm of emotion. She couldn't place it, but the longer she stared at the sole _anything_ currently existing around her, the less she wanted to comprehend. Ruby just wanted it to end, she wanted to be back at Beacon with Weiss!

And then she was.

It happened suddenly, without any buildup or warning, like someone flipped a cosmic switch. The world was gone, and then it wasn't. Ruby gasped loudly, realizing in that instant how she hadn't even been able to feel herself drawing breath while in that.. that.. _nightmare_! She flailed about as she struggled to orient herself. She was.. she was…

She was on the floor. Face down. From all around her came a cacophony of voices coalesced into a dense soup of white noise. Planting her hands firmly on the cool tiles, Ruby pushed up onto her knees with quivering arms that felt like they might give way any second. Her heart was absolutely thundering in her chest, pumping her full of adrenaline in the wake of a near anxiety attack.

"W-What.. what happened?" She panted, wide eyes frantically sweeping about. She jumped as Weiss came into view, crouching in front of her and staring hard into her eyes. The girl looked simultaneously furious, terrified, and horribly confused.

"You clotheslined another student, you dolt!" Weiss hissed, taking hold of Ruby's head with both hands. The girl instinctively fought to wriggle free, but the petite heiress' grip was shockingly strong. Weiss seemed to be looking for something as she peered into silver, staring long and hard before shaking her head and finally letting go.

Ruby stumbled back onto her rear, taking deep gulps of air and warding off the ebbing remains of unbridled horror that had struck her so ferociously. After a moment, with her brain beginning to collate its contents once again, she blinked, "Wait.. I did what to who?" Weiss, now back on her feet, sighed and gestured somewhere behind her. Ruby twisted about, gaze landing on the figure of a dark haired girl, a black bow perched atop her crown, whose amber eyes were flicking back and forth through space as though she were in a daze.

"Blake!" Ruby cried, scrambling to find purchase with her feet, and clumsily shuffling closer to her taciturn classmate. Hearing her name, Blake's gaze snapped toward the voice, narrowing warily on their target. Ruby froze in place, one arm partially outstretched in an impotent desire to do something. "I.. I'm so sorry, I don't.. I didn't see…" She clamped her jaw shut, swallowed hard, and dredged the words out more carefully. "Are you okay?" She asked for starters.

Blake blinked, then furrowed her brow. She seemed to be assessing her own well being, even looking down at herself for a short moment. Finally, she nodded.

A long, relieved sigh rushed from Ruby's lungs. She sagged back, propped up by her palms, able to relax a little now that she knew no serious damage had been done. "I'm sorry," she repeated, softer this time. "I should have been paying attention. I didn't-"

"It's fine." Blake sounded so calm, so unaffected by having just been knocked to the floor, that her tone by itself shocked Ruby into silence. "I wasn't really looking either." She picked a novel up from the floor, bringing it into view for emphasis. She shrugged, and went about collecting the rest of her things.

Ruby chewed on her bottom lip, guilt gnawing twice as hard on her insides. "A-Are you sure? Uhm.. maybe I could make it up-"

"No," Blake coolly shut her down. "Don't worry about it. Really." As if sensing the younger girl's reluctance, she looked over and locked eyes again. "I wasn't hurt, neither were you. No reason to worry." Everything tucked away, she continued on her way without another word.

Ruby groaned miserably, her instincts at war over what to do. One half argued that it was more her fault than Blake's, and that she should insist on somehow making up for her mistake. The other half contended that honoring the girl's wishes was probably the best way of doing so. Besides, it added, this way Ruby wouldn't have to worry about trying to start up a conversation with the mysterious girl. Something that normally made her tense up and go all brain-scrambled.

She conveniently failed to remind herself that trying to start a conversation with anyone she didn't know too well also resulted in the aforementioned brain scrambling.

Weiss, like a snowy angel, swooped in to save Ruby from her indecision. "Get up, dunce," she ordered with a long suffering sigh, hauling the girl back to her feet. She went about dusting down the younger girl's skirt, since she knew it was furthest from the top of Ruby's list of priorities. "Congratulations on quite literally dragging someone else down with you," she muttered, continuing to fuss over the unusually quiet girl. The silence must have been telling, for after receiving nary a retort the white haired girl slipped back into Ruby's line of sight, fixing her with a measured stare. "Ruby, are you okay?"

Ruby blinked. _Was_ she okay? The short answer was 'no'.

The more accurate answer was: Bumping into someone doesn't usually hurdle you into a vast emptiness that swallows sensation after making you feel like you'd just been hit by a bolt of lightning! So no, on the whole, she wasn't exactly feeling all that freaking peachy!

As much as she wanted to say something, to vent in the vain hope that Weiss might be able to provide some insight, she.. didn't. There was another, aching fear that twisted her gut into a knot when she imagined the words tumbling from her lips. What her friend's reaction might be. She.. she didn't want _that_ to happen. So, instead, Ruby swallowed her atavistic need to seek strength in numbers; physically gulping as she schooled herself.

"I'm f-fine," came the eventual shaky answer. By the look she received in return, Ruby guessed that calling Weiss 'dubious' would not have done the sentiment justice.

"You're shaking like a leaf!" The girl noted with a trace of shock, gripping her shoulders as if to steady her.

Ruby wriggled free from her friend's grasp – and it took a fair bit of wriggling indeed. "I'm just kinda.. in shock? I guess?" She fumbled about for a believable excuse, though she was already off to a great start, what with the glaring lack of confidence she displayed. "I mean, I _did_ just get knocked on my butt."

"Your _face_ , actually," Weiss corrected, suddenly all the more skeptical.

Uh-oh. Of course Weiss would be a stickler for stupid little details like that! Ruby managed not to lose her cool for once. "It's an expression. Anyway, then I found out I ran into my sister's roommate and knocked her down, too." Okay, okay, she was back to picking up the pieces, slipping kernels of truth into her story. "It was all so sudden, and I feel awful for nearly hurting Blake." She shrugged, putting on her best puppy dog eyes.

"If you say so," Weiss eventually conceded at the end of their impromptu staring contest. "Come on, let's get going. We'll be late at this point regardless," she bemoaned, accepting their shared fate with a weary ease. Together they walked to their final class of the day, the promise of relative freedom a scant sixty minutes off.

Ordinarily Ruby would be both thrilled and despondent; elated by the promise, though oppressed by that last hurdle. But things were definitely not ordinary, not anymore. Not after.. _that_. She was left abstracted, staring nowhere in particular; pensive and unsettled. Whatever had happened, it haunted her. Tiny niggling fears crept up her spine, their little fingers digging into flesh and making her shiver when they whispered worries into her ear. She tried to concentrate, but how could she?

Ruby wanted to know what that freak incident was.

Ruby didn't want to know.

Curiosity and anxiety clutched at each others throats, but she was the one getting strangled!

"Ruby!" The shrill sound of Weiss calling shocked her from her stupor.

"Eh?" She blinked, surprised to see the heiress leaning into her field of view. "What's-"

"Class is over," Weiss held up her scroll, pointing to the clock. "Did you even hear the bell ring?"

Ruby frowned. Obviously not, she was still in her chair and hadn't moved to pack her books. "Sorry, guess I spaced out, huh?"

"Rhetorical questions aside," Weiss rolled her eyes, "Something's definitely wrong with you."

Ruby tensed. "I.. no, I'm-"

"Hurry and pack up," the white-haired girl interjected. "Perhaps you're stressed. You didn't hit your head, so I doubt this is something serious. Seeing as your little," a pause ensued as she searched for the proper word, " _blunder_ earlier directly followed Oobleck lecturing you, I believe rest is in order."

Ruby bit her lip. That.. wasn't as bad as she had feared. Honestly, rest sounded fantastic to her. She zipped up her backpack and stood. "All right. Sorry, Weiss. I didn't mean to worry you."

The heiress' eyes darted askance for a moment, snapping forward again a mere heartbeat later. "No apologies needed. Not unless you decide to do something silly and put even _more_ strain on yourself. Now, up," she urged. Weiss led the way as always, and Ruby followed diligently.

And Ruby's concerns crept along right behind.


End file.
